The present disclosure generally relates to hydraulic systems. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to protection of hydraulic systems during manufacturing and/or shipping of components having hydraulic ports.
Articles such as aircraft and aircraft components typically include hydraulic manifolds and ports to allow for flow of hydraulic fluid between components during operation. During manufacturing and shipping of the components, it is often desired to cover or cap the hydraulic ports to prevent foreign material from entering into or damaging the ports. Foreign material such as dirt, dust, oils, etc. in the hydraulic system can seriously degrade the performance of the hydraulic system and often result in failure of the hydraulic system. Presently, plastic caps are utilized to cover individual ports. The caps are designed for single use, and consequently become potential foreign material when removed from the port. Further, the individual caps are generally small, and it is often not visually apparent that a cap is in place on the port, and consequently, a mating part can be installed to the port with the cap still in place, resulting in assembly error and non-functionality of the hydraulic system.